Walker
Elementary
Walker Elementary School History
Walker Elementary School opened its doors in 1961. At that time, nearby College Hill and Timber Ridge (later Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies) schools were already serving the far west side of Evanston and the eastern section of Skokie. But student enrollment was climbing due to the post-war baby boom, and a new school was needed. The school was designed by architects Ganster & Hennighausen, who had also designed Timber Ridge and Central School (later Park School).
David E. Walker
Walker School is named for David E. Walker (1889-1980). Walker began his career in Evanston as a teacher. In 1918, he became Assistant Superintendent of the former south Evanston school District 76. In 1933, he took over as Superintendent, a position he held until 1950, when District 75 and District 76 merged. He spent a year as co-superintendent with Oscar Chute (for whom Chute Middle School is named). In the days when there were no school principals, Walker hired all the teachers in the district personally, and knew them all by name. In addition to his role in the schools, David Walker was president of the Evanston Rotary Club, a football coach, a Boy Scout, and a supporter of the Evanston Public Library and the YWCA.
The D65 School History project is the result of a partnership with Evanston History Center. This research was completed by the Evanston History Center with research contributions by Kai Lundeen-Chen (ETHS class of 2027).
School History
Interested in the history of other District 65 schools?
Chute Middle School, originally named Oscar M. Chute Junior High, opened in 1966.
Dawes School is named after U.S. Vice President General Charles G. Dawes.
Dewey Elementary School was the first school in Evanston to have a kindergarten.
In 2004 Dr. Bessie Rhodes became the first Black woman to have a school named after her in Evanston.
The original King Lab was located in what is now Family Focus.
Ellen Foster, the first principal, viewed the school as a community hub.
Haven Middle School was initially built to serve students from two school districts.
Joseph E. Hill became Evanston's first Black superintendent of schools in 1975.
Namesake Homer Kingsley started the first Evanston public school kindergarten in 1882.
In the 1890s, children voted to name their new school "Lincoln" after the U.S. President.
The name incorporates nearby geographical features: Lincoln Street and a wooded area.
Frederick Nichols worked closely with the architect to create a school full of treasures.
Oakton is home to murals created by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s.
Orrington's site was previously home to a Potawatomi village and burial ground.
The predecessor to Park School was established in 1949 by a group of parents.
The school was named after Chicago-area philanthropists Daniel and Ada Rice.
Walker opened to address rising enrollment due to the baby boom generation.
The yellow brick building on the corner of Main and Ashland is the original school.
The school was named after world-renowned social reformer Frances Willard.